Set against the stunning backdrop of Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, our history festival offers a unique opportunity to step into the past whilst engaging with some of today’s most exciting historical voices.
Returning for a third consecutive year, The History Festival At Hever Castle brings together an exceptional line-up of historians and authors, each presenting their latest research and books. This is a festival for seasoned history enthusiasts and all of us eager to connect with the past in a meaningful and memorable setting.
Kate Williams - Regina: A New History of Royal Women
Sat 8 Aug, 8pm
Two Sisters' Theatre, Hever Castle
BOOK NOWFrom Cleopatra to Grace Kelly, an epic new history of royal women that shatters the myths we have built around them.
Stories about royal women form some of our most foundational myths about femininity, and yet their legacies have been almost entirely constructed by the words and images of men. In Regina, celebrated historian Kate Williams leads us deep into the world of queens, empresses, princesses, mistresses and ladies-in-waiting, uncovering how their ambitions were shaped, celebrated and often thwarted.
From the ancient civilisations of Egypt and Mesopotamia to the opulent courts of the pre-medieval world, REGINA delves into the lives of these remarkable women, revealing both their trials and triumphs as they navigate political intrigue, family rivalries and personal sacrifices. From Hatshepsut and Cleopatra, through to Tudor queens Catherine of Aragon and Lady Jane Grey, via Queen Victoria’s contemporaries Yaa Asentewaa of Ghana and Queen Lili’oukulani of Hawaii, and right up to Princess Diana, this is an unmissable history that unlocks why we think about women, politics and power in the ways that we do.
Professor Kate Williams is a historian and the acclaimed author of 11 historical books, including REGINA, RIVAL QUEENS and THE ROYAL PALACES – ‘a shining talent’ Spectator, ‘Brilliant’ Telegraph, the queen’, Guardian. She has presented many TV series, including Restoration Home and Inside Versailles and Secrets of the Royal Palaces and is CNN’s historian, as well as hosting the podcast, Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things.
Kates’ Instagram can be found here: https://www.instagram.com/katewilliamsme/?hl=en
Tickets £25, £22.50 for Festival Friends and Members.
Join us for all three talks taking place on this day for £53 (discount applied automatically at the checkout)
Also playing today;
Jackson van Uden Henry VIII and Donald J. Trump: Is History Repeating?
Sat 8 Aug St Peter’s Church Hever Castle, 11am
Alfred Hawkins & Owen Emmerson Anne Boleyn and the Tower of London: Heritage and Commemoration
Sat 8 Aug, St Peter’s Church Hever Castle, 3pm
Located on the tranquil Two Sister’s Lawn, our theatre has one continuous roof, every auditorium seat is undercover and allocated. The roof section over the auditorium is transparent so you will be able to enjoy the stars above, as you watch The Stars on stage! The theatre walls will be open and, for selected events, the lawns either side become part of the auditorium.
Gates open at 6.30pm for evening performances. If you have attended the earlier talks on this day, you are welcome to stay in the gardens between events. Please make sure you are parked in the Lakeview Car Park by the end of the day. Other car parks will be locked when the castle closes.
Please check our access page for further information.
The theatre bar will be open before the event and during the interval (when applicable) for hot and cold drinks, snacks, ice cream and freshly made savoury and sweet crepes.
Pre-Theatre Supers are available before this performance in the Astor Wing Dining Room, inside Hever Castle. The menu is available to view here. Please note there are just 50 covers for dinner, we recommend you book early, alongside your theatre tickets to avoid disappointment. You can arrive at the Lakeview Car Park from 5.30pm to give you time to walk over to the castle via the theatre lawn. The route is available to view on our Access page.